Adventures in Middle Earth
by Unexpected-Adventures
Summary: A Series of One-Shots from my story 'After the Unexpected Journey'. These will be short snippets of events in Hayden and Thorin's lives that I can't fit in the main plot line. Updated whenever I get hit with the odd spark of inspiration.


**So since I've begun a one-shot series for 'An Unexpected Journey' I figured I'd create one for the sequel. These will just be small snippets from 'After the Unexpected Journey' that I can't fit in the main plot line. I'll be updating whenever I hit some inspiration, so enjoy! :)**

* * *

**A SPECIAL COMPANION**

_June, 2943 _

"You were very brave to let him go," Lord Elrond said. He smiled graciously to Hayden as her and Thorin approached hand in hand.

"I don't think I could have stopped him even if I wanted to," Hayden sighed.

"Yes, he does seem to share your stubbornness," Elrond smirked lightly, "But you _are_ twins."

Hayden shrugged and wiped the last of the tears from her eyes, leaning into Thorin slightly.

"Do not worry for Harvey," Elrond said gently, "His future is a bright one, as is yours."

Hayden smiled and nodded, her spirits lifting slightly.

"When will Lady Galadriel return?" Thorin asked curiously.

"I am not aware," Elrond said, "She will make her presence known when she is ready, I am sure."

Thorin nodded curtly and cleared his throat, glancing over to Hayden.

"Well, we have done what we set out to do," he said, "I think it is time we returned home."

"You are more than welcome to stay should you wish to rest from your journey," Elrond offered, "Imladris is not a short distance from Erebor."

Thorin opened his mouth to politely reject his offer, when Hayden spoke up.

"That sounds nice," she said. Feeling Thorin's arm tighten she glanced to him. "We've been sleeping on the ground for a good month, it won't hurt to spend a few nights here."

Thorin pursed his lips, silently deliberating as he glanced from Lord Elrond to the pleading eyes of his wife.

"I suppose _one_ night," he said eventually.

Hayden's face lit up immediately and she squeezed his hand.

"Wonderful," Elrond smiled, "It will be nice to have guests. We have not had company since the last you were here to collect your possessions."

They followed Lord Elrond to a chamber where lunch would be held, but lingered slightly behind him.

"It won't be that bad," Hayden murmured to Thorin.

She smirked when he groaned under his breath.

"I thought we were to be leaving immediately," Thorin said stiffly.

"Oh but we haven't been here in such a long time," she said, "And Lord Elrond offered-"

"That doesn't mean you were obliged to accept," he said grudgingly.

"It'll be a nice break from travelling," she said, "_And_ we get to spend time alone – without having to get up early for council meetings."

He glanced at her with narrow eyes and almost laughed out loud when he saw her suggestive expression.

"If only for that, I will stay here without complaint," he smirked.

For lunch they sat at a private table with Lord Elrond, just the three of them. They discussed life in Erebor and their dealings with the surrounding kingdoms, and Elrond informed them of the goings on in the rest of Middle Earth.

"I heard word from Master Baggins not too long ago," Elrond said.

"Really? How is he?" Hayden asked quickly.

"Well, I believe. I only heard through Mithrandir," Elrond explained, "Apparently he returned to his home to find his distant relatives auctioning off his belongings."

"You don't say?" Thorin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he had quite the amount of trouble getting them back aswell," Elrond said, "They were under the impression he had passed on."

"How horrible for him," Hayden said. She kicked Thorin under the table when his amused smirk threatened to turn into a full grin.

"Oh, that reminds me – I should send a message to Dís," Hayden said, "We don't want them thinking _we're_ dead."

"There is ink and parchment in the library, should you need it," Elrond said.

"Thank you, Lord Elrond," she smiled gratefully, rising from her seat, "I think I'll send it now, before I forget."

She said a quick goodbye before leaving the small alcove and heading off down the hall. She became so distracted by the architecture around her that she did not realise at first that she had no idea where she was going.

"Oh, shit," she cursed under her breath.

She had stopped in a circular room that led off into several different corridors, each identical to the next. There was no one around to ask for directions, so she made down the third, hoping it would lead her somewhere useful.

The corridor led out into an open courtyard, where there was a small waterfall and luscious green garden. Sunlight filtered through the gap in the ceiling and a soft peaceful breeze blew around.

Hayden allowed herself to become memorized momentarily by the sheer beauty of the area, before a small voice sent her spinning back down to reality.

"Are you lost?"

Hayden started in shock and looked around for the source of the voice.

She noticed a small boy sitting on a ledge, his knees curled up to his chest and a book resting on his lap. He didn't look to be elvish – there was roundness to his face that no elven tween could possess. He had short dark hair that stopped below his cheeks and curious grey eyes.

"Yes, I believe I am," Hayden smiled, making her way slowly towards the boy, "You wouldn't happen to know where the library is, would you?"

"I do," the boy nodded, "I can show you if you would like?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude," she said.

"Not to worry, I was about to go there anyway to get a new book," he said. He jumped agilely from the ledge; book still tight in his grasp.

"Are you a guests of Lord Elrond's?" he asked curiously.

"I am," Hayden nodded, "I'm Hayden Parker." She couldn't yet bring herself to introduce herself as _Queen_ Hayden.

"I am Estel," the boy introduced, bowing slightly as he did so. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Hayden was so taken aback she couldn't hide her start even if she wanted to. And it wasn't his impossibly polite manners for a boy that surprised her. It was his _name_.

"Estel, did you say?" Hayden repeated.

"Yes," he said, a small frown furrowing his brows, "You think it odd?"

"No, no," she said quickly, "I only… I heard Lord Elrond talking about you. He's quite fond of you."

"Oh," Estel said. He shrugged slightly and his eyes turned to the floor. "I'll lead the way."

He turned without another word, looking deep in thought. Hayden hurried to follow him, watching him as subtly as she could. Her heart was pounding in excitement that _would_ seem odd had it been any other boy walking beside her.

"Have you known Lord Elrond long?" Estel asked, glancing curiously at her.

"Well… I think I first met him about two years ago," Hayden said, "So I suppose it has been quite a while."

"But you are not an elf," Estel observed.

"Is that a bad thing?" Hayden asked.

"No – only we do not have men stay here often," he said, "Where are you from?"

"Well, if you would believe it – Erebor," she smiled.

The boy stopped in his tracks and raised his eyebrows.

"Erebor?" he repeated.

"That's right," Hayden smiled, "Have you heard of it?"

"Of course, its only-" he stopped and frowned, "You are not a dwarf, either."

"No, I'm not," she shrugged, "It's my husband's home."

Estel nodded and they continued walking in silence. He was obviously deep in thought, because he kept frowning and glancing at her every so often.

"Your _husband_ is a dwarf?" Estel asked eventually.

Hayden nodded.

"So where are _you_ from?" he asked.

Hayden paused before she replied, thinking over her answer carefully.

"Well… it's a long story," she said slowly, "But, let's just say I'm not from Middle Earth."

Estel's frown deepened. "But you can't-"

"Queen Hayden!"

The voice carried down the long corridor, as Elladan made his way swiftly towards them – or was it Elrohir? She could never tell them apart.

"Oh, hello," Hayden smiled.

"Elrohir," the elf reminded her, with a coy smile.

"Right, sorry – I'll never be able to tell you two apart," she smiled.

"My father told me you would be arriving," he said, "He sent me to help you find your way to the library – King Thorin mentioned you might get lost along your way."

"Did he really?" Hayden huffed – she noted to mention _that_ to him later.

"But I see you already have help," Elrohir said. He turned and bowed his head slightly in greeting to Estel, who had been oddly quiet since the elf's appearance. "I will leave you in Estel's capable hands."

"Thank you, Elrohir," Hayden smiled.

The elf disappeared swiftly down the corridor in the opposite direction, leaving Hayden and Estel alone again.

"Is it true?" the boy asked once Elrohir had fully disappeared. He was staring at Hayden with wide eyes. "Are you really a Queen?"

Hayden shifted slightly and nodded, "I am… my husband is King of Erebor."

"Oh," he said, trailing off slightly, "Well… that does explain why Lord Elrond is friends with you."

Hayden saw for the first time a smile light the boy's features and she couldn't help but smile with him.

"Does Lord Elrond only keep friends of a high status?" Hayden asked, as they began walking again.

"They are always important," Estel shrugged.

They continued on in silence, though it wasn't an uncomfortable one, each companion subtly examining the other.

"Here's the library," Estel said, when they had finally reached their destination. "The books are to the left, if that's what you were looking for."

"Actually I wanted to send a letter," Hayden said, "Wouldn't want our relatives to think we were dead – they'd start selling off our things like what happened to poor Bilbo."

She laughed at her own joke, then realised that Estel wouldn't know who Bilbo was and quickly shut herself up.

But to her surprise, he was smiling again, the gesture spreading to his grey eyes. He always seemed so haunted and troubled for a small boy that Hayden found her heart warming whenever she made him smile, even if it was only for a few short moments.

"Well I should be going," Hayden said, "Thank you for your help, Estel. It was nice meeting you."

"And you, _Queen _Hayden," Estel smiled, bowing to her.

He waved to her over his shoulder as he ran down the aisle of bookshelves, the book waving carelessly in his grasp.

Hayden watched him leave absentmindedly, her mind whirring. When he had fully disappeared she smiled to herself and began to search the library for letter writing supplies.

* * *

"You managed to find the library?" Thorin asked, the ghost of a smirk covering his lips.

"_Yes_, thank you," Hayden said grudgingly, sending him a glare as she took her seat at the table again.

He and Lord Elrond hadn't moved from the table in the alcove and had been discussing some politics or rather when Hayden had returned from her journey to the library.

"Elrohir told me he met you along the way," Elrond said, "He also told me you had a companion."

"A companion?" Thorin asked, raising an eyebrow in Hayden's direction.

"Estel," Hayden nodded.

At Thorin's frown of confusion, Elrond offered an explanation.

"My ward," he said, "His mother left him in our care when he was only a small child."

"He is an orphan then?" Thorin asked.

"His mother still lives, though she travels between here and her homeland," Elrond explain.

"How old is the boy?" Thorin asked.

"He has seen twelve summers," Elrond said, "He is still an innocent."

"I see," Thorin said stiffly, "And his mother thinks this lifestyle is best for him? To be away from his only family?"

Elrond merely bowed his head graciously, choosing to stay silent.

Hayden put a gentle hand on Thorin's arm to calm him – family was always a touchy subject with him.

"I'm sure she's only doing what's she thinks is best for him," Hayden said, exchanging a glance with Elrond.

The elf raised his head curiously and stared in return at Hayden.

"I am sure you are aware of _who_ Estel is, my lady?" he asked.

Hayden nodded silently. Thorin glanced between them with a frown.

"Then you know I would appreciate your secrecy on the matter," Elrond continued, "We cannot have his… _whereabouts_ known."

"I understand," Hayden said, "Don't worry."

"Am I missing something?" Thorin asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'll explain later," Hayden murmured.

Elrond's smile widened and he rose from his seat.

"I will have someone show you to your quarters," he said, "You are welcome to stay as long as you wish."

"Thank you, for everything," Hayden smiled appreciatively.

Elrond bowed his head to them both and left the room elegantly, his robe flowing behind him.

"Care to explain?" Thorin said, staring at his wife.

Hayden smiled brightly and locked her arm around his, leading the way after Elrond. Her insides fluttered with excitement as she began to explain to her husband how she had just met the heir to the throne of Gondor.


End file.
